Sunday, March 15, 2015

True Or False? 30 Days to Thicker, Fuller Hair... Find Out Here!

This post is brought to you by my working relationship with the One2OneNetwork and NIOXIN.

There's this saying, "you always want what you can't have," and if I had to guess, the person who coined that phrase was someone with stick straight hair, much like myself, who pined for wild, crazy, curly hair and so to describe their predicament, they came up with those exact words.

"But you have curly hair! Why can't I have curly hair? I waaaaant curly hair, MOM. It's just so...pretty," I would say, each morning as my mother would fix my stick straight, kind of mousy brown hair before school. And every morning she would reassure me that, in fact, my stick straight, kind of mousy medium brown hair was just as beautiful.   

Ha, mothers.  

After years of watching my mother tame her wild Sicilian tresses, after years of whining and begging for curly hair, my wish came true with my very first perm at the age of 11. I was so excited. So excited that the smell of skunk, or rather the perming fluid, didn't even bother me for the entire three hours it took to give me curly hair. 

I was beyond thrilled with my new, curly hair for about seventy-two hours, or until the first time I had to wash and dry it myself. It was awful. I finally had the wild and curly hair I so terribly craved but with it came hours of brushing, tears streaming down my face as I willed the tangles to free themselves from my hair. I longed for my straight hair again and vowed to always be happy with what I was given for the rest of my life. 

Until I discovered highlights and how easily it was to achieve the change I so desperately craved by just adding a little (or a lot) of color to my hair. Honey, amber, blonde, red and eventually, black, depending on the season of life I was in, I found myself spinning the color wheel and changing my hair to match. 

Not one of those instances, however, prepared my hair for the drastic changes it would undergo during pregnancy and the following 6-12 months after giving birth. Don't get me wrong, my pregnant hair was TO DIE FOR. It practically grew right before my eyes and its length was only surpassed by the gorgeous thickness that came with those glorious pregnancy hormones. 

But much like ripping a band aid fresh from a wound, my gorgeous pregnancy mane quickly became dull and brittle mere months after giving birth. Around the six month mark, it began falling out at an alarming pace and at this time after my third baby, I swore there was something wrong with me. I had lost so much hair that I had visible bald spots and when I pulled back into a pony tail (the no. 1 hairstyle of exhausted mother's worldwide) you could see. my. scalp. 

I freaked. I went to my doctor. She reassured me that it was all due to hormone changes and once my hormones evened themselves out, so would my schizophrenic hair. I tried to wait patiently. To soak in my rapidly growing and changing little family but every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror or flushed another handful of hair down the toilet, I nearly cried. I needed to try something. Anything. 

Grasping for straws, I took the NIOXIN 30-day Challenge. For more than 20 years, NIOXIN has been committed to providing real answers for thinning hair and has recently designed a new range of six different scalp and hair care systems. Using NIOXIN's convenient online consultation tool, I was quickly able to determine which hair care system was best suited to me. 


Each of the NIOXIN hair care systems addresses three key factors that are crucial in understanding and treading the appearance of thinning hair: scalp and hair environment, the role of hair health, and the change of the hair structure over time. 

The best part? Using the easy 3-step system didn't require any extra work on my part. I need to shower and this was something I could quickly and easily do while getting ready for the day. As a busy mom of three boys under five, I don't have a lot of ancillary time on my hands so it was nice that this challenge didn't require any additional "time" on my behalf. 

Now, before I started, I promised myself that I wouldn't expect grand results. I'll admit, I was leery from the get go- but I was desperate and desperation will try anything. As soon as my kit arrived in the mail, I wanted to use it, even if that meant getting in the shower, for a second time that day, at 4:30 in the afternoon. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the smell of both the shampoo and condition. Very minty and within minutes of applying, my bathroom smelled kind of like a spa. Within seconds of applying the shampoo, my scalp began tingling. Actually, it began burning but that feeling quickly faded to a pleasant, almost-refreshing tingle. After a few days of this, "hmm, that must mean it's working," I thought to myself. 

Halfway through my 30 day challenge, I began noticing small changes in my hair. Not only was the texture changing from dry and brittle to soft and voluminous but I began noticing a surge in the regrowth of baby hairs around my hairline. Certainly the hair care system couldn't be working so soon, could I? I pressed on. 

I had never been so happy to see baby hairs (and so many of them!)
My hair was most definitely beginning to look thicker and fuller, specifically around the root section. This new development was putting the ends of my hair to shame. Suddenly they were looking dry, split and quite unpolished compared to the rest of my hair. As I'm known to do, I made an appointment at my local salon for a, you guessed it, change. 

Despite being created specifically for color-treated hair, I had been noticing that the NIOXIN was slowly stripping the black box-dye from the roots of my hair. By the end of the challenge, not only could you see loads of regrowth at the hairline, but the entire crown of my head was back to my natural color. 

I chopped off eight inches of my hair and decided to, quite literally, return to my roots. That's a whole other story for another day but as I took a seat in my stylist's chair, even she noticed a difference in the appearance of my hair. 

Before the NIOXIN 30 Day Challenge and After (hello fuller hair!)
I used the NIOXIN Hair Care System for thirty-five days, or as long as it took for me to run out of the conditioning product. Not only did I notice changes in the shape and texture of my hair but also incredible regrowth at the hairline. Thirty days to thicker and fuller hair, guaranteed, said the box. And NIOXIN delivered. 

Despite the uncomfortable tingling/burning sensation in the beginning, as well as the occasional itchy scalp due to sudden dryness (easily remedied by using my own personal conditioner 1-2x per week) I would absolutely recommend taking the NIOXIN 30-day challenge. (#NIOXINChallenge)

Now, whether my hair is pulled back in a pony tail or styled for date night, when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I no longer cringe at the sight. I no longer look as if I'm going bald. Now? I only cry at the thought of my baby rapidly approaching his first birthday and no longer the rapid thinning and loss of my hair. 


Have you ever experienced fine, thinning hair or hair loss? As women, we are quite literally (and figuratively) attached and it can be a sensitive subject to talk about. I'd love for you to take the NIOXIN 30-Day challenge and share your results on their Facebook and Twitter pages. 

To enter for a chance to WIN your very own customized NIOXIN Hair Care System, see below. 

To enter, please leave a comment below telling me about a time in your life when, perhaps, you didn't make the greatest hair decision! 

Giveaway ends Friday March 20th, 2015. 
No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway is open to US residents only. 
Must  have a valid email address and US mailing address.


As a member of One2One Network, I received a NIOXIN hair care system kit in exchange for compensation but all opinions are my own

24 comments:

  1. Remember those butterfly hair clips that were all the rage in the late 90s? I had an entire kaboodle full of them. Think butterfly clip crown/headbands all day every day. Oof.

    I could seriously use this right now though, as my receding hairline is out of control from my postpartum hair loss. It's so bad I've started referring to myself as "Count Dracula" 😂

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  2. I just noticed this week how much thinner my hair is after baby (#1 no less- I'm scared what future babies will do to my hair!).

    As for bad decisions- I went to my stylist one time with pictures and an idea in mind, she created exactly what I wanted, and I loved it. Until I went to wash my hair the next morning and realized how short it really was. I cried & told my husband (then boyfriend) that he couldn't ask me to marry him until my hair got longer again!

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  3. I was also a victim of "the perm." Thanks to my mom I spent a good portion of my childhood looking like Shirley Temple. Those pictures are long gone.

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  4. I told you on IG about box dying it almost black and subsequently looking like death. What I didn't mention was what it took to get it back. I ended up BURNING MY SCALP with all of the chemicals. I had orange hair, then big bird hair, then wear a baseball cap every single day for a week hair, then finally back to blonde. I call the blonde "never ever ever do that to yourself again" hair.

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  5. I still cringe when I see photos of my platinum blond shag disaster.

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  6. I great up with long, thick, full, wild curls and after baby number 2 my hair went to loose curls that I could still work with, after baby boy number 3 my hair is dull, dead, frizzy, lifeless and has ONE wave- directly at my ear length. I dont have waves, I have A wave. I tried a perm and my hair "didn't take" (so says the stylist $145 later) and only left me with a crease at my hairline. My hair has continued to thin, and break, and I'm at the end of my rope cleaning massive amounts of hair out of my brush every day, and out of the shower drain. If only I could piece all that together to cover the spots of scalp now visible at my crown and nape. I have tried salon regrowth shampoos, Biotin, with no results. I need hair help, and your "after" gives me hope!

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  7. My biggest hair mistake is when I asked my mom to bleach my hair back blond after having had it dyed dark brown for a year. We forgot one of the ingredients, and I ended up with horrible brassy orange, right before a trip to Mexico. When I got home I had her chop most of it off and re-bleach it. I am four months pp right now, and the hair loss is horribly sad.

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  8. After my son (1st baby) was born I had this great idea to chop off 12 inches of my hair to donate and get a super trendy asymmetric Bob. What I didn't think of was that since my hair would be so short it would require me to 'do' it everyday because it wouldn't fit in a ponytail. What new mom has that kind of time, especially when you have wavy, sort of curly hair that takes a half hour to blow straight??? I also was unaware of the post partum hair loss that would happen about a month after I chopped off my hair. So I was left with this crazy, messy, way too short, thinning, balding, unable to put in ponytail, no time to style asymmetric mop on the top of my head. Real Nice!!! Add to that my hormones, a body that didn't fit into anything, and a baby with a breast latching issue. NOT a good combination!!! I have never worn so many headbands, bandanas, or hats in my life! Thank goodness it was the fall!

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  9. Just after I had Charlie, I was upset that my weight didn't magically fall off, so I chopped off all my hair instead. BAD idea! I'm still trying to grow it back. My hair has been a mess for years...many tears shed, so I would LOVE to try this!

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  10. I too had the "perm"... AND short hair. Looked identical to a poodle.... terrible decision!

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  11. my mom let me perm my hair when I was younger too! And I bleached my hair in high school. Other than that I've really loved everything else I've done with my hair!

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  12. I once decided to cut my own hair when I was 10 years old. I was tired of getting bowl cuts from my mom... lol. Of course, it turned out to be quite a disaster! (You can just imagine the craziness) Thank goodness I grew it out, and now I go to a hair stylist to get it cut 1-2x a year. Finally I figured it out =D

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  13. I got a perm, and yes it was awful! I have also attempted to highlight my own hair.., which resulted in orange colored cheetah spots. Bad idea!

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  14. Dying my bling hair black- not a good look for me!

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  15. I had been growing my hair out for about five years. One day, I had the urge to chop it all off into a cute little bob. I had recently moved to a new city, so I began driving around and stopped at the first salon I found and had it cut. I liked it at first, but the next morning, when I got in the shower and felt how short it was, I burst into tears. I have been trying to grow it out ever since, but I wish it were thicker and fuller so it will look healthier.

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  16. It was a pixie cut. I didn't regret it at the time but after finding a picture of myself years later I wondered what in the world was I thinking?! Funny thing is, I went with that cut because my hair was thinning at a rapid rate.

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  17. My Mom let me decide and I wanted a "boy short" hair cut....it was awful and took forever to grow out!!! I cringe at family pics of me then! Of course my husband thinks its hilarious!

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  18. A friend dyed my hair for another friend's wedding it came out like Goldilocks blonde is not a good look on me I still cringe at the wedding pictures

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  19. For prom I made the worst hair decision and curled my hair in tiny little curls.. ewww. I looked horrible haha My email is perezashley60@hotmail.com. would love this! Xoxox

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  20. PERM! total PERM!!! i still look at pictures and wonder why the heck my mom let me do that! EEEEEK!

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  21. After 6 babies I've got the thinest hair and needless to say I miss pony tails on occasions but the thin hair makes for funny ponies 😭. I've tried 60 days of hair and nail vitamins nothing. My hair is brittle and nasty and I don't want to keep cutting it for short hair to get rid of the mess. Would love to win and try !! #mommawantshersexyback 😜

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  22. After 6 babies I went from tons of baby fine hair to barely there baby fine hair. Ponies are never an option bc of how much hair is missing esp the sides and temples. I would love a chance to win.

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  23. My biggest hair mistake was cutting my naturally curly hair to chin length and thinking it would still look good, can you say poodle?!!

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  24. Congratulations SamanthaJo! #1 was randomly drawn as the winner of the giveaway via the Random Number Generator! You will be contacted via email shortly. Thanks everyone for entering! I really do wish I could give you all some Nioxin!

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